Folding table.



W. HANLEY.

FOLDING TABLE.

APPLICATION IILED JUNE 2, 190a.

Patented Dec. 8, 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WzfiawJJaJ. $40 4 w. HANLEY.

FOLDING TABLE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2, 1908.

906, 131. Patented Dec.8 ,1908.-

2 sums-$113M 2.

MINI.mm( U UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM HA NLEY, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO FERGUSON BR'OS.MFG..

(30., OF HOBQKEN, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

FoLDmG TABLE.

Specification in Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 8, 1908.

Application filed June 2, 1908. Serial No. 436,279.

To all who-Wet may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM HANLEY, a citizen of the United States, andresident of East Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey,have invented a new and useful Im rovement in Folding Tables, of whichthe following .is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in folding tables and especially tofolding card tables'in which the legs individually fold around the sidesof the table in the plane of the top side frame thereof.

The object of my invention is to provide certain improvements in theconstruction, form and arrangement of the several parts whereby a strongand durable folding table may: be made at a reasonable cost and in whichany unevenness in the top of the table owing to the warping of the woodis entirely obviated.

A further object is to provide novel means for frictionally holding thelegs in their folded position.

A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of myimproved tablein its unfolded position as in use, the view being takenfrom a point below the table, Fig. 2 1s a top plan view of the table, aportion'of the cover and its lining being broken away to more clearlyshow the means for attaching the top panels to the top side frame andthe diagonal supports, Fig.- 3 is an inverted plan view of the tablewith the legs folded, a portion of theside frame being broken. awayto'more clearly show the elongated slot and socket for the reception ofthe laterally turned upper end of the leg brace, Fig. 4 is a.detailsection taken in the plane'of the line AA of Fig. 2, looking in thedirection of the arrows, Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail inverted plan viewof the table with the legs in their folded position, Fig. 6 is ahorizontal section through a small portion of the top side frame,showing the laterally turned upper end of the leg brace in full linesengaging the socket at the outer end of the elongated slot and in dottedlines in the position it assumes as it is started along the slot duringthe folding of the leg, Fig. 7 is a very much enlarged section show ingthe means for securing the table cover to its top, and Fig. 8 is adetail erspective view of one of the angle irons WlllCh connect thediagonal supports o the top side of the frame of the table.

i The four top side rails which form the top side-frame are denoted by1, 2, 3 and 4, which rails are firmly united at the corners of thetable. The inner edges of the tops of these side rails are cut away toform angular recesses 5 for the reception of the outer ends of thepanels 6 which form the to of the table.

iagonal supports 7 and 8 have their ends secured to and spaced from theside rails of the top by angle'irons, each composed of a branch 9adapted to be rigidly secured to the side rail,.a diagonal branch 10adapted to be rigidly secured to the end of the diagonal support, and anintermediate portion 11 extending at right angles to its branch 9. Inthe present instance screws 12 are shown for securing the branches 9 ofthese angle irons to the side rails and screws 13 are shown for securingthe diagonalbranches' 10 of these angle irons firmly embedded within theends of the diagonal supports.

To prevent the top of the table from becoming warped or uneven, panels 6are made in varying lengths extending only partway across the top of thetable. These panels have their outer ends resting in the angularrecesses .5 and their inner ends resting upon diagonal supports 7, 8.These panels may be rigidly secured to the side rails and the diagonalsupports by any suitable means, as, for instance, by small nails orbrads 14. The topof the table is further reinforced by strips15'extending along the under faces of the panels 6 between the diagonalsupports 7, 8, intermediate the ends of saiddiagonal supports and theirpoint of intersection.

The cover 16 of the table may be of'any desired material such, forinstance, as felt and a lining 17 may be interposed between the cover 16and the upper faces of the panels 6. This cover 16, is secured aroundits edges within the angular recesses 5 between the outer ends of thepanels 6 and the walls of the said recesses. In the resent instance thecover is secured in position by' inserting liquid glue into the spaceabove described and thenforcing the edges of the cover firmly into saidglue. The four legs of the table are denoted by 18, which legs arearranged to individually fold around the sides of the table adjacent theelongated slot.

to -their respective top side rails in the plane of the top side frame.Each leg is hinged by a screw 19 between the intermediate portion 11 ofthe angle iron and a spacing block 20 at the corner of the table.' Thefree end of each le when folded is held frictionally in its fo ldedposition by forcing the legs outwardly toward its side rail, asufficient distance to permit the free end of the leg to pass by theouter end of one of the diagonal supports 7, 8. The tendency of the legto spring back to its normal position will cause the end of the diagonalsupport to hold the leg in its-folded position.

Each leg is provided with a brace 21, the lower laterally turned end 22of which is pivoted to the leg at a distance from its hinged end and thelaterally turned upper end 23 of which is fitted to enter a socket 24 inthe top side rail when the leg is in its unfolded position. As the legis folded, the

laterally turned'upper endofthe brace 21 is fitted to travel alongwithin an elongated slot 25 in the top side rail, the inner end of whichslot terminates at the socket24.

A keeper 26 is secured to the top side rail in position over the mouthof the socket 24 and the inner end of the elongated slot 25, whichkeeper is spaced a sufficient distance from the mouth of the socket topermit the laterally turned upper end of the brace to be withdrawn fromthe socket but not from This keeper is sufliciently long to permit thelaterally turned upper end of the leg brace to travel a very shortdistance along within the elon ated slot 25 as the leg is folded beforesaid aterally turned upper end of the brace is released from theprotective influence of the said keeper.

By providing the table with the diagonal supports and forming the toppanels of the gradually increasing lengths from the corners to thecenter of the table, I am enabled to produce a table top which will bevery strong and which will resist all tendency to twist or warp out ofshape. Furthermore, the angle irons which secure the diagonal supportsto the top side frame not only serve to strengthen the table at thecorners but also serve as a part of the hinged connection for thefolding legs of the table.

What I claim is l. A folding table comprising a top, a top side frame,diagonal supports, angle irons for securing the diagonal supports to thetop side frame, folding legs and means for hinging each of the legs tothe table comprising a screw passing through the angle iron and leg intothe top side frame.

2. A folding table comprising a top, a top side frame, diagonalsupports, angle irons for securing the diagonal supports to the 1 topside frame, folding legs and means for ,hinging each of the legs to thetable comprising a spacing block, interposed between the leg and topside frame and a screw passing through the angle iron, the leg and thespacing block into the said top side frame.

3. In-a folding table, a top, a top side frame, diagonal supports forthe top and means for securing the diagonal supports to the top sideframe, comprising angle irons each having a branch fixed to the top sideframe, a branch, fixed to the end of the diagonal support and anintermediate portion, and folding legs hinged between said intermediateportions of the angle irons and the top side frame.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signedmy name in presence of two witnesses, this first day of WILLIAM HANLE Y.

I June 1908.

-Witnesses:

F. GEORGE BARRY, C. S. SUNDGREN.

